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Millions of Dead Fish Puzzle Californians

Marine biologists are working to explain the millions of anchovies, sardines and mackerel that washed up dead in a Los Angeles area harbor Tuesday. Whether an algae bloom was a factor in the massive die-off is under investigation.

Los Angeles Times:

[Redondo Beach] City Manager Bill Workman said city officials with the help of marine experts would help determine if there was any environmental issue involved. Tests are now being performed on the water as officials begin removing the dead fish, which city officials estimated to be in the millions.

“There are no visible signs of any toxins that might have caused [the die-off] and our early assessment is that this was oxygen depletion,” Workman said. “This is similar to what we experienced five years ago but that was distinctly a red tide event but there’s no discoloration of the water, no associated foaming in the waves,” Workman said. “There are no oil slicks or leaking of substances into the water.”